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Ivy

It felt like forever.

Roman had been in that room with Malcolm since forever. I tapped my foot on the ground impatiently, my head in my hand as my mind replayed everything that happened, over and over again.

Ralph had driven my car like a mad man on a race, we had gotten to the musel in such little time, and we found them there.

Roman had looked so cold, so...so pale-- so dead. The feeling that gripped me at that moment could be described clearly as shock. I was horrified, terrified. In fact, that was the moment I truly understood the scared to the bone feeling. My whole body was pinned to one spot.

We had driven back to the RTR in a rush, seeing as Roman was getting worse by the minute.

It was the exact replica of the feeling I got after reaching home that day, the day my life changed for the worse. I couldn't shake the sick feeling from my guts. All this wasn't supposed to be happening... Why is all this happening?

"I don't understand." Fiona's shaky voice broke us all out of our individual thoughts.

I raised my head.

"Why would they- why would they take him and just drop him at the Musel base? What did they want from him?" She asked.

That question had been burning in my mind since this whole trouble started.

"Yeah, how did you find him Ethan?" Caramel asked, our attention going to land on Ethan, who leaned against the wall opposite me, he looked tense and uneasy, almost like Fiona's voice and Caramel's questions had jerked him back to reality, and they were the exact questions he didn't want to give answers to.

"The Lithians." He said after a while. "One of the boys saw him dropped down there. They knew he was a mutual friend to me, so they called to let me know."

"Oh." Was all I could utter.

"That still doesn't answer why the Inc Lords would do this to him." Ralph said.

"Maybe he stumbled across something he wasn't supposed to." Caramel suggested.

Fiona shook her head. "No, I don't think so. Roman is careful, he's always careful. He know these computer things and he knows how to stay out of trouble."

"Yeah, the chances of him making a mistake and stepping on the Inc lords territory is quite slim." I said.

"This draws us to the Rebel-lions... I mean, they could have kidnapped him just to get some inside information about what we do." Ralph suggested.

"No..." I shook my head. "If they wanted that, they'd have taken me. I have all the information they need."

At this, Ethan eyes fell on me.

"I can snag up one of them for questioning, maybe torture the victim a time or two, I can have him spewing out the info we need in seconds." Caramel said, looking really serious about her opinion.

"I don't think we need to torture anyone." I said immediately.

"How else do we deal with this then? We can't let this go unpunished, Ivy. They touched someone from our inner circle, no one's allowed to fuck with us like that." Ralph said, looking pretty angry.

"I know, Ralph, but violence isn't the only way to settle this--"

"Well, sometimes we gotta get our hands dirty." Fiona cut in.

"We can all ask Roman what they said to him when he's back to consciousness." Ethan finally said. "We can't torture anyone, that's starting a war with the Inc Lords." He gave a pointed look to Ralph as he said. "The last thing we want is bodies dropping everywhere."

We all went silent.

"I know we're all shaken up by what happened." Ethan said. "But I can assure you, I'll do anything in my power to stop it all from happening again. I'll have men around you guys, and some around the Hub-"

"I don't need protection." Caramel said.

"I don't give a fuck about what you need or don't need Caramel, I'll protect you if I fucking want to, you get that?" His tone shocked me, and by the look on everyone's face, it shocked them too.

Immediately, the door to the room pulled open as Malcolm walked out. The look on his face sent my stomach turning.

Whatever he had to tell us, wasn't good news.

"How is he?" Fiona said, rushing towards Malcolm.

"He was injected with Odilix."

Fiona gasped.

"What's Odilix?" I asked.

"One of the deadliest drugs in this dimension." Malcolm answered.

"Basically damages your interior organs and kills you slowly from within... But it's that kind of slow poison that eats quickly at your insides." Caramel explained further.

My stomach sank.

"How far is it in his system?" Ethan asked this time.

Malcolm sighed. "It's far too deep. Roman has less than an hour left. We tried everything we could."

My heart dropped as I shook my head, unable to believe what he was saying. "No No..." I moved closer to Malcolm. "There has to be something you can do Malcolm, he can't die, please you can't let him die." I felt tears streaming down my face, my voice wavering as I felt Ethan pull me towards him.

"Hey, we'll find a way." He tried to assure me.

But I couldn't stop crying, forming out words seemed impossible. I wanted to stay strong and determined, but I couldn't, I broke down in front of everyone.

"Malcolm, is there really nothing we can do? Please, you have to know another way." I heard Ethan's voce vibrate from his chest. He also sounded like he was trying to hold himself together.

Malcolm sighed. "There is one way."

At this, I snapped my attention back to Malcolm. "What's the other way?" I asked.

Malcolms' brows dropped down, an uneasy look shadowing in his eyes. "I'm not sure Roman would want to go through with this if he was conscious."

I looked at Malcolm in disbelieve. "He's not conscious, and he's dying Malcolm. He needs to be alive, so we're going to go through with this. When he wakes up, I'll explain to him, but for now, we gotta do all it takes to bring him back. What is the way, Malcolm?"

All attention was on Malcolm now.

"In order to survive this. We have to give Roman the chip."

This sent a sharp pain seering through my head.

No... No...

"It'll help null the effect of the drug, and repair all the damages in his system." Malcolm added.

God, why is this happening.

My heart was hammering against my chest, tears seizing me once more. I felt my bones go weak.

"If we want to help him, we have to hurry."

Fiona placed her hand on my shoulder, her blue eyes trying to penetrate through my soul. "Ivy, we need him here, we can't let him die. I vote we do this."

Ralph and Caramel nodded in agreement.

My mind was a haze... I couldn't think straight. I wanted him to be okay, but the chip? This is everything we stood against, this isn't the plan... I can't put Roman through this... But it's the only thing that can help him.

Still...

"Hey," Ethan turned my shaking frame towards him, cupping my face in his hands. "Roman is going to understand. In the main time, while he uses the chip, we can find a cure to the drug? Right Malcolm?" Ethan asked, looking up from me to Malcolm.

"It isn't entirely impossible. But we gotta get moving."

I nodded, wiping my tears; the small smile on Ethan's face, reasurring me. "Okay, let's do it." I sniffed.

"I'll get the authorization." Malcolm announced, leaving us.

I sighed as we all went back to our positions, except Ethan who took the spot beside me.

"Do you wanna get some air?" Ethan asked, his voice soft, yet troubled.

I nodded.

We both made our way outside, the dark skies sending the cool breeze on an errand to kiss the skins of everyone lucky enough to be under it.

It calmed me a little.

We sat next to each other on a small long Bench just outside the RTR building.

Taking my hand in his, Ethan shielded me from the cold outside. I placed my head on his shoulder as we both sat in a comforting silence.

I took in a deep breath. "I don't understand why all this is happening... It was all fine one minute-- and the next, it's all going to hell."

He sighed.

"I knew Ethan, I knew something terrible was going to happen." I said. "But I didn't think it'll end up with Roman using the chip in order to survive. He's going to hate it Ethan. But we need him."

"I'm sure he'll understand." Ethan said. "We're doing everything to help him, that's what any one who cares about him would do."

I swallowed. "I just don't understand why they would just take him and drug him? Do you think Glory is behind this?" I found myself asking.

"No, Ivy. Glory and the Inc Lords don't have any business together, so I doubt it."

I shook my head, raising so I could look at him. "The Inc Lords have no apparant reason to take Roman. Only Glory does. She hates humans-"

"So does half of the people in this dimension, Ivy. Trust me when I tell you Glory isn't involved. It was the Inc Lords. When Roman gets back to consciousness, he'll clear this all up for us."

"I just wan-"

"Guys!" Caramel's voice stopped me mid way. "You might wanna hear this."

We were up from the bench without any questions asked.

Malcolm had just finished making a call, while Fiona looked really mad.

"What happened?" Ethan asked.

Malcolm shook is head. "Glory refused to give the authorization."

My eyes widened. "What? Why?"

"I have no idea. Usually, she's always eager to give it. Without the authorization, I can't do anything to help Roman."

"Well that's pure bullshit." Ralph muttered.

"Why would she even do this?" Fiona asked.

"We can't let him die... I'm going to see Glory." I said, already walking away before I felt Ethan's grip on my arm.

"Hey, you can't just walk into the facility a-"

"I know the facility enough to know where she would be by this time. I am not going to let Roman die, and if it takes going to the Facility to do that, then so be it."

Ethan sighed. "You didn't let me finish. I'm coming with you. We're doing this together."

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Glory is refusing to give authorization?

Do you think they'll succeed in helping Roman? Or are we about to say our goodbyes?

I sincerely hope you enjoyed this update, I've been writing it for days now, but I was never satisfied with each outcome, including this, but I do hope you liked it.

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See you guys in the next update... Hopefully, soon!